Parents of Parkland shooting victim use AI to "bring him back"
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Manuel and Patricia Oliver in 2019. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images
It's been over seven years since Joaquin Oliver was gunned down at his Parkland high school, one of 17 victims killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in 2018.
- With the use of artificial intelligence, he just did his first press interview.
Why it matters: Joaquin's parents are using AI to give their son a new voice, which they plan to use in their yearslong campaign against gun violence.
In an interview Monday on "The Jim Acosta Show," an AI rendering of Joaquin's face advocated for "stronger gun control laws, mental health support and community engagement."
- "I was taken from this world too soon due to gun violence while at school. It's important to talk about these issues so we can create a safer future for everyone."
What they're saying: Joaquin's father, Manuel Oliver, told Acosta that the "AI Joaquin" uses the 17-year-old's voice and his past social media posts and other writings to mimic his personality.
- The AI clone is also trained on "knowledge that is out there through artificial intelligence," Oliver added.
What's next: Oliver, who co-founded the gun violence advocacy organization Change the Ref with his wife Patricia, said on the show that they want AI Joaquin to have his own social media presence and eventually address audiences in person.
- "Now Joaquin is going to start having followers. It's not Manny, it's not Patricia. He's going to start uploading videos."
- "Moving forward, we will have Joaquin on stage in the middle of a debate."
On a personal level, Oliver said he and his wife cherish being able to hear Joaquin's voice again.
- "Patricia will spend hours asking questions. Like any other mother, she loves to hear Joaquin say, 'I love you, Mami.'"
Yes, but: Oliver added, "I understand that this is AI. I don't want anyone to think that I am in some way trying to bring my son back. Sadly, I can't."
Friction point: A Washington Post story said the interview sparked an "intense backlash" online, as critics took issue with using AI to reanimate the dead.
- "This sort of interview style can't possibly represent what that child wants to say in any reasonable way," Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who specializes in digital forensics, told the Post.
- "There are plenty of opportunities to talk to real victims and have a serious conversation about this epidemic that's happening in our country without resorting to this sort of stunt."
This isn't the first time the Olivers have backed the use of AI to send a political message using Joaquin's likeness.
- In a 2020 video promoting voter registration efforts, an AI version of Joaquin talks about not being able to vote in the presidential election and his frustration with the lack of action to prevent more shootings.
The other side: Oliver responded to critics in an Instagram video saying Joaquin "has a lot of things to say" and "thanks to AI, we can bring him back."
- "If the problem that you have is with the AI, then you have the wrong problem. The real problem is that my son was shot eight years ago. So if you believe that is not the problem, you are part of the problem."